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Bitterness hardened her tone "You’re not helpingus"

He stubbornly shook his head "You’ll be better off Clearly I’m not meant to have any of this Love, children, a fa tears to her eyes Lord, she didn’t knohat to say to hie his , how coive her a chance to formulate a response He stood up, his shoulders stiffer than boards "If I stay, I’ll end up hurting you So I have to go"

The tears spilled over "I can’t believe this"

"I love you, Miranda, but I don’t deserve you, and I can’t take the risk that one day Iyou or the twins"

He paused only to plant a soft kiss on her forehead, to gently touch her cheek with his callused hand, and then he left the backyard

Ato life

And then silence

Chapter Twenty-One

"Mom, wake up! Mom! Wake up, wake up, wake up! Mo-o at the foot of the bed, bouncing around like a pogo stick She still wore her pink cotton PJ’s, her brown hair wasa scary ay in that little body of hers

"What is it?" Miranda asked sleepily

"We hafta go dancing Ginny called and said it’s late and why aren’t we there"

It took aher tired eyes, she slid up into a sitting position "You answered Mo and ringing--"

"I told her not to but she didn’t listen" Jason barreled into the roo at the clock, Miranda realized that not only had she slept through the alarm, she’d overslept by three hours It was ten o’clock Holy shit Her first lesson of the day started in a half hour

She flew out of bed, ready to do the i her and the kids out the door in ten minutes flat, but then she froze in the ht rushing to the forefront of her brain

Seth had broken up with her

He’d actually broken up with her

Suddenly the last thing she felt like doing today was dancing

With a sigh, she lowered herself to the edge of the bed "Actually, guys, I’ to call Ginny and tell her to cancel today’s lessons At least for my students"